Why read Psalm 67?
Read Psalm 67 to renew your confidence in God's care. It presents Him as a defender of orphans and widows, a companion to the lonely and a source of strength for His people.
You can read this psalm when its themes speak to your circumstances, or as part of your regular reading of the Psalter. This explanation draws on the text itself; the psalm is not reserved for one particular need.
The complete text of Psalm 67 (36 verses), from Kathisma 9 of the Psalter. The opening words — “Let God arise and...” — are also the traditional “name” of the psalm: our grandmothers did not say “psalm 67”, but called it by its opening words.
Text of Psalm 67
1. Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered, and let those who hate Him flee from His face.
2. As smoke vanishes, let them vanish; as wax melts before fire, so let sinners perish from the face of God,
3. But let the righteous rejoice and be glad before God; let them delight in gladness.
4. Sing to God, sing to His name, prepare the way for Him who traverses the wilderness; the Lord is His name,
5. And rejoice before Him. Let them be troubled before His face, the Father of orphans and the Judge of widows.
6. God is in His holy place; God settles the solitary in a house,
7. He brings out with valor those bound in shackles, likewise the afflicted, those who dwell in tombs.
8. God, when You went before Your people, when You passed through the wilderness,
9. The earth trembled and the heavens melted, and Sinai shook before the face of the God of Israel.
10. You will set apart a generous rain, God, for Your inheritance. It grew weak, but You strengthened it.
11. Your creatures dwell in it; in Your goodness, God, You cared for the poor.
12. The Lord will give the word to those who proclaim with great power.
13. The King of powers will divide the spoils among the beloved people.
14. If you sleep in the midst of your inheritances, your silvered wings will be like those of the dove, and your back will shine like gold.
15. When the heavenly King scatters kings in His land, they will be white as snow on Selmon.
16. A mountain of God is Mount Bashan; a mountain of peaks is Mount Bashan.
17. Why, mountains of peaks, do you envy the mountain in which God was pleased to dwell, for He will dwell in it until the end?
18. The chariots of God are thousands upon thousands; thousands are those who rejoice in them. The Lord is among them, on Sinai, in His holy dwelling.
19. You ascended on high, took a multitude captive, received gifts from people; they were allowed to dwell even with the rebellious.
20. The Lord God is blessed; blessed is God day by day; may the God of our salvation grow among us.
21. Our God is the God of salvation, and to the Lord God belong the exits from death.
22. But God will shatter the heads of His enemies, the hairy crown of those who walk in their transgressions.
23. The Lord said: “From Bashan I will bring him back; I will bring back your enemies from the depths of the sea,
24. That your foot may sink into their blood, and the tongue of your dogs into the blood of your enemies.
25. I saw, God, Your entrance; I saw the entrance of my God and King into the holy dwelling:
26. The leaders went ahead, followed by those playing strings, with maidens in the midst beating drums and saying:
27. In the assemblies bless God, the Lord from the springs of Israel!
28. There was Benjamin the youngest, in amazement; the leaders of Judah, their guides, the leaders of Zebulun, the leaders of Naphtali, and they said:
29. “Command Your power, God; strengthen, God, this work You have done for us.
30. For Your dwelling in Jerusalem kings will bring You gifts.
31. Rebuke the beasts in the reeds, rebuke the bulls gathered against the heifers of the peoples, that those who have been tried like silver may not be removed.
32. Scatter the nations that desire wars.” Messengers will come from Egypt; Ethiopia will stretch out her hand to God beforehand, saying:
33. “Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God, sing to the Lord.
34. Sing to God, who ascended above the heaven of heavens toward the east; behold, He will utter His voice, a voice of power.
35. Give glory to God! Over Israel is His majesty, and His power is in the clouds.
36. Wonderful is God in His saints, the God of Israel; He Himself will give strength and support to His people. Blessed is God.”
When Psalm 67 is read
- It belongs to Kathisma 9; it may be read daily alongside the prayer rule (see the morning and evening prayers).
- At the end of each psalm, the tradition adds: "Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen."
Neighboring psalms
The numbering follows the Orthodox Psalter (Septuagint). The same psalm may have a different number in other Bible editions.
